CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Brad Mills - USA Today Sports
Brad Mills - USA Today Sports

Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments


by - Assoc. Editor -

The Clemson football team showed off a dominant running game in their 63-3 win over Wake Forest on Saturday night.

The running game totaled 471 yards on 40 carries which was the fourth-most in school history.

ESPN GameDay analyst Desmond Howard had a chance to retract his "finesse" comments that were directed towards Clemson's offense during Tuesday's episode of "PodcastOne Sports Now" with host Larry Lage.

However, he decided to forge forward and double down on his "finesse group" comments.

"During the show last week, we were talking about Clemson's offense," Howard said. "I don't know my exact quote, but I said if you look at the way they run the ball, they are more finesse than a power team. When you look at Alabama especially before Tua, they are more of a power running type of offense. They run a lot of power plays. Stanford with David Shaw, run a lot of power plays. That is their style running the ball is power. Clemson usually has some fast backs, scat backs, guys that are out in space doing their thing running jet sweeps. Don't get me wrong, they will run between the tackles, but they are not lining up with a fullback a lot with double tight ends just running smash mouth football. I said they are more of a finesse running team. I guess one of their assistant coaches I guess took offense to that."

Howard repeated his definition of finesse with regards to running the football.

"Finesse running attack is not about your statistics," he said. "It's about your style of running the ball, not the statistics. You can have a finesse running attack and gain over 400 yards or 500 yards. You could have a power running attack and gain over 400 yards or 500 yards. It's not about the statistics. It's not about the amount of yards you gain."

Howard wants Clemson fans to know that he is not on Twitter so don't bother sending him messages.

"Some of their fanbase (Clemson) they got a little upset and started to send some tweets my way. I'm not on Twitter a lot, so a lot of that doesn't reach me."

This all started when Howard said the Clemson offense was a "finesse group" during Saturday morning's ESPN GameDay.

"I don't see them being a physical outfit offensively," Howard said. "They are more of a finesse group; they are not gonna be a smash mouth group. You can't change who you are in the middle of the season. You are who you are. You are what you are."

Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott heard about the hot take by Howard and spoke about it after the 63-3 win over Wake Forest.

"Somebody needs to send that to Desmond Howard so he can get his facts straight," he said. "It's hard to be a finesse group when you are rushing for 300 yards a game. You would agree with that, wouldn't you?"

Ultimate Level LogoUpgrade Your Account

Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.

Upgrade Now
Comment on this story
Print   
Send Feedback to Tony Crumpton: Email | Comment
FIRST LOOK: Clemson Basketball Dancing in March Bobblehead unveiled
FIRST LOOK: Clemson Basketball Dancing in March Bobblehead unveiled
4-star lineman picks up Clemson offer on visit
4-star lineman picks up Clemson offer on visit
WATCH: Clemson coordinators talk spring progress, break down latest scrimmage
WATCH: Clemson coordinators talk spring progress, break down latest scrimmage
No. 2 Tigers take on Hurricanes
No. 2 Tigers take on Hurricanes
Post your comments!
Subject (Replies: 108) Author
spacer TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
TigerNet News®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
deleted
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Jhop83
spacer Not nearly as much as some might think.
apextiger
spacer This ^^^^
MackDaddy®
spacer Re: This ^^^^
ctpawpwr
spacer Re: Not nearly as much as some might think.
LT Tiger
spacer Re: Not nearly as much as some might think.
LT Tiger
spacer Re: Not nearly as much as some might think.
LT Tiger
spacer Re: Not nearly as much as some might think.
LT Tiger
spacer Re: Not nearly as much as some might think.
LT Tiger
spacer Re: Not nearly as much as some might think.
deleted
spacer Re: Not nearly as much as some might think.
deleted
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Clemson_country89®
spacer Jhop = butthurt Clemson hater***
Topher
spacer Re: Jhop = butthurt Clemson hater***
Dugatiger®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
armsb
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Dugatiger®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
dgcannon39
spacer Marlborocountycoot = dgcannon39 = tiger michael = Reggaeman
clemson80tiger
spacer Syracuse is 88th in rush defense***
tigerrag86
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
HarleyTgr
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Dugatiger®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Morris24
spacer All you need to know & remember
sspassport®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
DEtiger04
spacer Who consistently lines up these days with a FB and 2 TE's?
deleted
spacer teams that end with 3+ losses (soon see michigan & stanford)***
pheebo
spacer sounds like fair comments to me.....
pheebo
spacer Re: sounds like fair comments to me.....
goob®
spacer Re: sounds like fair comments to me.....
Bareftn
spacer Re: sounds like fair comments to me.....
tigerinaiken®
spacer Maybe, now that he’s gone back and amended things so
apextiger
spacer Re: Maybe, now that he’s gone back and amended things so
Tiger1616Dad
spacer Re: Maybe, now that he’s gone back and amended things so
deleted
spacer Golden State is a finesse team
goob®
spacer Re: Golden State is a finesse team
ddclemson
spacer Re: sounds like fair comments to me.....
dgcannon39
spacer Re: sounds like fair comments to me.....
LemonTiger®
spacer What does that make Michigan ??? Inept ?***
clemchem®
spacer Re: What does that make Michigan ??? Inept ?***
Clemson_country89®
spacer Everyone else on set that morning was basically saying
TigerCC®
spacer Why would we want to "change who we are"?
twill
spacer Desmond Howard = butthurt hater***
Topher
spacer Howard has a "finesse" sounding laugh on game day***
tatertot3
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Jhop83
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Bush
spacer He also predicted we'd beat Wake but it'd be a close one
T1gerpaws®
spacer Re: He also predicted we'd beat Wake but it'd be a close one
MackDaddy®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
fjones
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
fjones
spacer Why does it matter?
GWPTiger®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Roundhouse1313®
spacer Wonder if he stands by his Michigan natty prediction***
tigerpathmd®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Clemson mountaineers®
spacer "Someones opinion of you does not have to become your reality."
CUallen2275
spacer He's an idiot...
ClemsonTiger12
spacer In the end his comments don’t matter
ClemsonBarry
spacer He is not completely wrong...
kgpittm®
spacer After listening to his clarifying remarks
braker®
spacer His remarks are covering his butt. Very few teams
civil engr
spacer Clemson is 5th in Nation in Rushing Yards Per Game
owensdj
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
gotigers68
spacer Had he said on the set
Salty55®
spacer The last good thing to come out of Michigan was Trevor Pryce***
Topher
spacer Desmond's take is that a spread offense is a finesse offense
ninetytwotiger®
spacer Re: Desmond's take is that a spread offense is a finesse offense
gotigers68
spacer Re: Desmond's take is that a spread offense is a finesse offense
Rw43
spacer Re: Yeah, right....and Meeeechigan is going to win it all...
Ridgeland Booster®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Greenwar®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
jbwhiteside84
spacer Re: I remember Desomd Howard when he was
clemvol
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Felix2
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Greenwar®
spacer Best explanation period!
feraltyger
spacer Re: Power running games
Rw43
spacer Re: Power running games
JohnsonRod®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Mogambu®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
prefab®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
prefab®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
TX Tiger®
spacer Really, Does anyone really care***
Prime T. Tiger
spacer Re: Really, Does anyone really care***
tigersnake1954
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
TigerFaction
spacer Whatever, I'm tired of this story
Tim317
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
ptctiger93
spacer I don’t disagree completely but
RU4GOD2
spacer who cares?
TigerCook®
spacer Has he seen our Jumbo "finesse" package...
Marine4Life®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
jom29620
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
JPF16®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
tigercubjr
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
JPF16®
spacer does he stand by his prediction of Wake being a close game ?***
mattycu
spacer He is been angry with Clemson ever since KB was
tigeron®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
92TigerJohn
spacer Why does anyone care what that idiot says???
Watcher®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Jayshaun494
spacer Hey Desdumb...
Razorpaws
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
AfricanTiger
spacer It's not about stats, it's about yards?
OrangeKnight
spacer He's another Jonathan Vilma... unless its his school he'll
El Tigre 1
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
Eagle03®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
ithaca
spacer Do a Papa Roach on his social media
Dr. Nikola Tesla
spacer You'd think a t-wat would tweet often.***
ClemsonTiger1988®
spacer Re: TNET: Desmond Howard stands by his Clemson "finesse" comments
jarheadtiger®
spacer Re: you've gotta be joking
Rw43
spacer I'll just say this . . .
whitefalcon